Cosmo occupies a unique niche in the middle ground between the large Japanese advertising agency-owned public relations firms, many of which have impressive media contacts and local knowledge but limited strategic capabilities, and the Japanese operations of US multinational agencies, which often provide good processes and sound strategic thinking but don’t always have strong local relationships. Led by Kumi Sato, an American-educated former McKinsey consultant who took over her parents’ firm in the early 80s, Cosmo looks to combine the best features of both those groups—and for the most part it succeeds, consistently ranking among the top independent firms in the region, a preferred partner for Anglo-Saxon agencies without their own Japanese operations.
Founded in 1960, the firm worked primarily with Japanese companies through its first 30 years, but changed its focus when Sato took the helm, focusing on providing assistance to U.S. multinationals looking to establish themselves in Tokyo (today about 75 percent of its clients are multinationals). It also moved beyond the media relations realm to offer strategic communications consultancy, and today is best known for issues-driven work, with expertise in advocacy and public affairs, crisis and issues management, corporate positioning and reputation management, internal communications and corporate social responsibility, with a focus on the healthcare, food and food science and services sectors (it is known for introducing the first female oral contraceptive in the Japanese market and handling various regulatory and safety issues for U.S. beef producers). A major point of differentiation is the firm’s proprietary Key Opinion Leader Research process, which provides insight into stakeholder attitudes, decision making processes, and the issues they perceive as being of primary importance.
Sato continues to lead the firm and remains one of the leading figures in the Japanese public relations industry, having been named as one of 50 “Stars of Asia” by Business Week magazine and one of 50 Leading Women Entrepreneurs of Japan by Forbes and having been awarded PR Agency Head of the Year at the 2010 Asia-Pacific PR Awards. The firm’s leadership team includes chairman Paul Hasegawa, formerly a president with ACNielsen Japan and a veteran of advertising agency positions with I&S (now I&S/BBDO) and Ogilvy & Mather Japan; and COO Ryuji Kondoh, who oversees the healthcare division. A key hire last year was respected cardiologist Dr Hiroya Jumamary, who joined as in-house healthcare advisor.
The expertise of its leadership team is supplemented by a network of partners that includes leading think-tanks, key opinion leaders, industry associations and professional bodies. Cosmo partners with Social System Design Institute, one of Japan’s preeminent think-tanks influencing Japanese policy, and has served as secretariat for the Medical Journalists Association of Japan for 15 years. It also works with public figures such as Kiyoshi Kurokawa, professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and former advisor to the Japanese Cabinet, on global health issues and Japan’s overseas development assistance.
In 2010 the firm also launched a new tool called Platform, a database of doctors that helps it plan educational and outreach programmes. The firm also stepped up its ability to integrate bloggers and social networking sites into customary campaigns for food and food science clients.
2010 was not an easy year for the Japanese PR market, but Cosmo remained profitable and achieved growth over 2009. The firm employs a team of about 40, with new business was led by healthcare, food and food science, including such accounts Pfizer Animal Health, Alexion Pharma’s Soliris drug and Syngenta’s food security agenda. The firm also increased its crisis work, helping H&M, Reckitt Benckiser and BASF’s petrochemicals division handle distinct issues. The firm’s retained client list features Novartis, Sanofi Aventis, Abbott Japan, GSK, the Norwegian Seafood Export Council, Visa and the American Medical Devices and Diagnostics Manufacturers Association.
Cosmo’s reach extends to the global marketplace through its membership in the Public Relations Global Network, an alliance of 39 independent PR firms with more than 800 people around the world. Last year it also stepped up efforts to create partnerships across the region, in a bid to position itself as a strategic ‘gateway to Asia’ for healthcare-minded clients.
Highlights of the firm’s work included helping KCI launch Japan’s first approved negative pressure wound therapy for hard to heal wounds; coordinating a campaign to raise awareness to coincide with World Diabetes Day; and, supporting the AMDD’s efforts to position itself in front of government and regulatory officials.
“COSMO’s work for KCI during the launch of our business in 2010 was very effective in bringing our story to the healthcare community, and to a broader patient audience across Japan,” said Lynne D Sly, KCI EVP and office of the CEO Japan KCI. “Cosmo has strong media relations and effectively leverages their expertise into results for their clients.”
Cosmo continued to work internationally through strategic partnerships with leading healthcare firms such as Red Door Communications in London, Weisscomm in the United States, and global public affairs firm APCO. –AS